Polypropylene Pipe Helps Ease Elementary School’s Transition to Geothermal
School District Leverages Grant Money to Upgrade Heating System
Originally completed and opened in 1963, Park Orchard Elementary was part of the local school district’s plan to accommodate the growing population in Kent, Wash. After undergoing various additions including extra wings and a gym, the district determined that the roughly 50,000-square-foot building should be retrofitted for energy savings.
The retrofit included replacing classroom heating systems including boilers, pumps, piping, and three rooftop heat pump units. The Kent School District was awarded a $1 million-plus grant from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for project design enhancements including the installation of a ground-source heat pump system with full energy management controls, and roughly $60,000 in additional grant funds from Puget Sound Energy.